by Brouwerij Emelisse/Slot-Oostende
Continuing the theme of winter beers (now that it’s cold an all!) we’ve had this beer stashed away for a while now waiting for the right time to include it in a beer pack. And the time has come.
Emelisse has something of a tradition of adding an interesting ingredient to their winter beer. The 2015 version is noted by the addition of the ‘Engelse Drop’. Translated, this is ‘English licorice. A quick whiff of the aroma and the first taste on the tongue will attest to this addition.
Licorice allsorts were first produced in Sheffield, England in 1899 and are very popular in The Netherlands. So I guess it is no surprise that Dutch brewers decided to add this to one of their dark beers.
The beer is classified as an ABT/Quadrupel. Quite dark, with a heavy malt body, there is a dark fruit sweetness couple with a roasted malt bitterness. There is also a nutty character, and a hint of herbal character behind the anise flavour of the licorice.
If you are a licorice fan, this shoudl be a beer you really enjoy.